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  TOP TEXAS BOOKISH DESTINATIONS

2018

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Bookish Texas • Events around the state, week of 12.9.2018

SPECIAL EVENTS  |  SUNDAY  |  MONDAY  |  TUESDAY WEDNESDAY  |  THURSDAY  |  FRIDAY  |  SATURDAY NEXT SUNDAY
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Special Events

  • Going Out of Business Sale: books, pamphlets & paper ephemera, Llano, December 13-14

 

Ongoing Exhibits

  • Literary Frontiers: Historical Fiction & the Creative Imagination, San Marcos, August 1-December 14
  • Finding Sophie Blackall Exhibition, Abilene, October 11-February 1
  • 30 Poems for the Tricentennial: A Poetic Legacy, San Antonio, December 3-April 25, 2019
  • Artful Books, Alpine, December 7-17

 

Sunday, December 9

Austin

  • Malvern Books, Austin Writers Roulette presents "The End is the Beginning," 4PM
  • LBJ Library, Russ Whitlock, former superintendent of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, signing The Texas White House, 11:30AM

 

Dallas

  • Half Price Books Mother Ship, Meet local Indie authors and pick up their latest release, while supplies last
  • Half Price Books Mother Ship, Melanie Sumrow will sign copies of her newest YA novel, The Prophet Calls, 5PM

 

El Paso

  • B&N - Fountains, Thomas Dominguez III signing A Fighter's Will!, 2PM

 

Mansfield

  • Half Price Books, Tank Gunner will sell and sign copies of his books, Prompts, Prompts Too, Cookie Johnson, and Palomino, 1PM

 

Richardson

  • The Drawing Board, Writing Workshops Dallas seminar: "How to Write Flash Fiction" with Eden Elieff, 3PM

 

San Antonio

  • B&N - La Cantera, Luc Vors signing Where Sleeping Dogs Lie, 12PM
  • Dead Tree Books, Dead Tree Books, John C. Payne signing Three and Out, 12PM
  • The Twig Book Shop, Clara Harmonson discussing and signing Hair Chronicles, 12PM

 

South Padre Island

  • Paragraphs on Padre, Meet the Author Series: Lamar Jones discussing and signing The Adventures of Sir Jankster, 1PM

 

Monday, December 10

Austin

  • Esther's Follies, Austin History Center hosts a fundraiser to for printing costs of Bill Leissner's forthcoming book, Austin Icons of the Eighties: Music, Theatre, Politics, 7PM

 

Dallas

  • Aaron Family JCC, Tal Keinan discussing and signing GOD IS IN THE CROWD: TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY JUDAISM (in conversation with Rabbi Stefan Weinberg), 7PM

 

Pearland

  • Pearland Library, Meet Stephanie Wittels Wachs, author of Everything is Horrible and Wonderful, 6:30PM

 

Tuesday, December 11

Austin

  • BookPeople, RYAN BEAUCHESNE & CRUSOE signing Crusoe the Worldly Wiener Dog: Further Adventures with the Celebrity Dachshund, 6PM [voucher required]
  • Flat Track Coffee, Chicon Street Poets host Living Room Lit | Spoken Word Open Mic + Mingle, 7:30PM
  • Home Slice Pizza, Austin Bat Cave presents Story Department: "Stranger Things," 7:30PM
  • LBJ Library, Author and historian Michael Beschloss will be speaking about his latest book, Presidents of War: The Epic Story, from 1807 to Modern Times, as well as reflecting on the life and legacy of President George H.W. Bush (moderated by LBJ Foundation President and CEO Mark K. Updegrove), 6PM
  • Spiderhouse Ballroom, Austin Poetry Slam featuring Wayne Henry, 7:15PM

 

Dallas

  • Hall of State at Fair Park, Dallas Historical Society Brown Bag Lecture: E.R. Bills discussing Texas Far & Wide, 12PM
  • The Wild Detectives, Reading Performance: Short Shorts and Tall Tales: Down the Chimney, Up in Smoke! with Isaac Banegas, Elizabeth Hamilton, Lindsey Lett, Taylor Lett, and Amber Noel, 7:30PM

 

Houston

  • The Junior League, World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts Max Boot discussing and signing The Corrosion of Conservatism: Why I Left the Right, 6:30PM

 

San Antonio

  • The Mix, PuroSlam, 9:30PM

 

Wednesday, December 12

Boerne

  • Patrick Heath Public Library, Book Club Brunch with Sarah Bird, author of Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen, 11AM

 

Dallas

  • Sandaga 813, LitNight with Sanderia Faye, 7PM
  • The Wild Detectives, Inner Moonlight poetry featuring Trista Edwards and Bess Whitby, 7:30PM

 

Houston

  • Avant Garden, Write About Now Poetry Open Mic featuring Christopher Diaz , 7:30PM
  • Kaboom Books, Reading with Jane Chance and Stacy Nigliazzo, 7PM
  • The Menil, Jay Wehnert discussing and signing Outsider Art in Texas: Lone Stars, 7PM
  • River Oaks Bookstore, Ann Marie Sabath discussing and signing What Self-Made Millionaires Do That Most People Don’t: 52 Ways to Create Your Own Success, 5PM

 

San Antonio

  • The Twig Book Shop, poet Linda Simone will read from and sign The River Will Save Us, 5:30PM

 

Sugar Land

  • B&N, Author Event: Greatest Adventure-Tony Piedra; H is for Harvey- Julie Beasley; Red Stocking Society-John "Ace" Passmore, 4:30PM

 

Thursday, December 13

Austin

  • BookWoman, Second Thursday Open Mic featuring Amanda Johnston, 7:15PM
  • Malvern Books, Novel Night with Rachael Sparks & Tamar Ben-Ur, 7PM
  • Palmer Events Center, Donna Marie Miller signing The Broken Spoke: Austin’s Legendary Honky-Tonk, 6PM
  • Paramount Theatre, Storytelling: The Moth Mainstage, 8PM

 

Dallas

  • Deep Vellum Books, Feuding Fan Dancers with Leslie Zemeckis, 7PM
  • The Wild Detectives, Melania-Luisa Marte discussing her debut book of poetry, MELA, 7:30PM

 

Houston

  • River Oaks Bookstore, Sharon K. Connell discussing and signing Paths of Righteousness, 5PM

 

San Antonio

  • The Twig Book Shop, David Norman reading and signing South of Hannah, 5PM

 

Sugar Land

  • B&N, Story time with local author Maria Ashworth, 10AM
  • B&N, Author Signing and Discussion: Bliss Finance by WenFang Bruchett, 4:30PM

 

Webster

  • B&N, Meet the Author: Misty Boyd, 5PM

 

Friday, December 14

Alpine

  • West Texas National Bank, Texas Mountain Trail Writers: Becka Oliver and Michael Noll of the Writers' League of Texas present "The Craft & Business of Writing," 5:30PM

 

Austin

  • Malvern Books, I Scream Social Ugly Sweater Party, 7PM

 

Beaumont

  • Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Robert Craig Bunch signing The Art of Found Objects: Interviews with Texas Artists, 6PM

 

Dallas

  • Heroes Lounge, Dallas Poetry Slam: Girls Night Out Masquerade Ball, 7:30PM
  • Mighty Fine Arts, Poets on X+ Feature and Open Mic with Griselda J Castillo, 8PM

 

Houston

  • River Oaks Bookstore, Donna Kacmar discussing and signing Victor Lundy: Artist Architect, 5PM

 

Saturday, December 15

Austin

  • B&N - Arboretum, Meet author September Scott with special guest Margo Coates Huddleston, 10:30AM
  • BookPeople, Special Guest Story Time: Sonia Panigrahy will share her inspiring book, Nina the Neighborhood Ninja, 10:30AM
  • Malvern Books, Vanessa Couto Johnson presents her first full-length poetry collection, Pungent dins concentric, 7PM
  • Resistencia Bookstore, Lenguas Loc@s First Annual Reading!, 7PM
  • Twin Oaks Library, Austin Poetry Society Holiday Party and Open Mic, 1:30PM

 

Dallas

  • Deep Vellum Books, Cinestate Presents: HEADCHEESE: a special launch party and Q+A with Fangoria author Jess Hagemann, 7PM

 

El Paso

  • Memorial Park Public Library, Tumblewords Project workshop: Becka Oliver and Michael Noll of the Writers' League of Texas present "The Craft & Business of Writing," 12:45PM

 

Galveston

  • Galveston Bookshop, Susan P. Baker signing Murder and Madness, 2PM

 

Houston

  • Half Price Books - Clear Lake, Local Author Saturdays: Meet local Indie authors and pick up their latest release, while supplies last
  • Katy Budget Book, Co-author and editor J.E. Martin signs God's hand on My Shoulder, a biography of Joe Carl Martin, Jr., 2PM
  • Murder By the Book, Erica Wright will sign and discuss The Blue Kingfisher and give a presentation called "Where to Hide the Body: Starting a Mystery," 4:30PM
  • River Oaks Bookstore, Ronel Golden reading and signing Nicole, 3PM
  • Writespace, Workshop: "Scrivener 102" with Cassandra Rose Clarke, 9:30AM

 

Hurst

  • B&N - NE Mall, Bobbie Wygant signing Talking to the Stars: Bobbie Wygant's Seventy Years in Television, 1PM

 

McAllen

  • B&N - Palms Crossing, Meet The Author: Daniel E. Valdez, 12PM & 5PM

 

San Antonio

  • Dead Tree Books, Rachel Sparks signing Resistant, 2PM
  • The Twig Book Shop, Ken Roberts signing The Cedar Choppers: Life on the Edge of Nothing, 11AM

 

Sunday, December 16

Austin

  • Malvern Books, an afternoon with Dorothy Ellis Barnett, who will read from her poetry and short stories, 1PM
  • Malvern, celebrate the launch of Love & Wages, Jim Trainer’s fifth full-length collection of poetry and prose, 4PM

 

Dallas

  • Half Price Books Mother Ship, Meet local Indie authors and pick up their latest release, while supplies last

 

Mansfield

  • Half Price Books, local spiritual author Diane Johnson will sell and sign copies of her 52-week devotional, Walking with God, 1PM

 

Richardson

  • The Drawing Board, Writing Workshops Dallas seminar: "Legal Issues for Writers with Mike Farris, 3PM

 

San Antonio

  • Dead Tree Books, Dead Tree Books, John C. Payne signing Three and Out, 12PM
  • The Twig Book Shop, Philip Mathis signing Goodbye Sky Harbor, 12PM

 

* * * * *

The most comprehensive listing of book and author events, festivals, readings, lectures, and signings in the Lone Star State

 

Don't see your book or literary event here? Email us your complete info two weeks in advance of the issue in which your event is scheduled, and we'll include it.

 

 

 

 

MAJOR BOOK EVENTS BY MONTH

updated 12.5.2018

Use this calendar of recurring events and cultural emphases in Texas and those other states to plan ahead in your bookish life. We'll add dates for each year as we learn of them.

 

January

  • Book Publishers Day (Jan. 16 annually)
  • Pulpwood Queen's Girlfriend Weekend (since 2000; Nacogdoches, Jan. 11–14, 2018)
  • Austin Book, Paper, & Photo Show (Jan. 20–21, 2018)

 

February

  • Black History Month
  • Lone Star Literary Life Birthday (Feb. 2 annually)
  • Bookworm Festival (Houston, Sat., Feb. 3, 2018)
  • Teen Bookfest by the Bay (Corpus Christi, Feb. 17, 2018)
  • Angelo State University Writers’ Conference, San Angelo (22nd annual; Feb. 22–23, 2018)
  • ConDFW (since 2001; Fort Worth, Feb. 18–19, 2018)
  • People's Poetry Fest (3rd annual, Corpus Christi, Feb. 22–24, 2018)

 

March

  • Women's History Month
  • Freedom of Information Day (March 16 annually)
  • Children's Picture Book Day (March 28 annually)
  • Lone Star Literary Life's Top Ten Texas Bookish Destinations
  • Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Alpine, 32nd annual, March 2–3, 2018)
  • Sin Fronteras International Book Festival (2nd annual, McAllen, March 3, 2018)

 

April

  • National Poetry Month
  • D.E.A.R., "Drop Everything and Read" Month
  • National Library Week (April 8–14, 2018)
  • National Friends of Libraries Week
  • International Children's Book Day (April 2 annually)
  • Children's Book Day, El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Día) (April 30 annually)
  • World Book Day (Shakespeare's birthday, April 23 annually)
  • Bayou City Book Festival (Friendwood, April 3-8, 2017)
  • Austin International Poetry Festival (April 6-9, 2017)
  • Books in the Basin (Odessa, April)
  • Poetry at Round Top (17th annual, April 20–22, 2018)
  • NETWO Spring Conference
  • Houston Writers' Guild Conference
  • Mansfield Reads! (Mansfield)
  • San Antonio Book Festival (Sat, April 7, 2018)
  • Texas Institute of Letters Annual Meeting (April 6–7, 2018, San Antonio)
  • North Texas Teen Book Festival (Irving, April 20–21, 2018)
  • West Texas Trail Writers (April 29, 2017)

 

May

  • Texas Writers Month
        
  • Children's Book Week (Apr. 30–May 6, 2018)
  • National Independent Bookstore Day (last Saturday in April annually)
  • BookExpo America (New York, May 30–June 1, 2018)
  • O. Henry Pun-off (since 1978; Austin, annually in May)

 

June

  • GLBT Books Month
  • Bloomsday (James Joyce's Ulysses, June 16 annually)
  • CALF (Children's Art & Literacy Festival), Abilene (June 7-9, 2018)
  • Dallas-Fort Worth Writers Conference (Dallas, June 9–10, 2018)
  • Western Writers of America Convention (Billings, MO, June 20-23, 2018)
  • Writers' League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference (Austin, June 29-July 1, 2018)
  • Annual Austin African-American Book Festival (June 23, 2018)
  • International Christian Retail Show (June)

 

July

  • Texas Shakespeare Festival, Kilgore (33rd season, 2018)
  • Poetry Society of Texas Annual Conference (49th annual conference, The Woodway, Austin, July 12–14, 2018)
  • WLT Summer Writing Workshop, Austin (July)
  • Romance Writers of America conference (Denver, July 18–21, 2018)
  • Macondo Writers’ Workshop (since 1995; San Antonio, July 24–29, 2018)

 

August

  • East Texas Book Bash (Tyler, August 4, 2018)
  • Armadillo Con, Austin (40th annual, August 3-5, 2018)
  • Texas Christian Writers' Conference (26th annual, Houston, August 4, 2018)
  • Texas Christian Writers’ Conference (Houston, August 4, 2018)
  • Lone Star Literary Life's Annual Readers’ Choice Top Ten Texas Bookstores

 

September

  • Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15 annually)
  • Banned Books Week (last week of September annually)
  • National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration, Lubbock (second weekend in September annually; 30th annual, Sept. 7–9, 2018)
  • Indiepalooza, Houston (September 14–16, 2018)
  • West Texas Book Festival,  Abilene (third week of September; not held in 2018)

 

October
        

  • National Book Month
  • LGBT History Month
  • National Friends of Libraries Week (late October annually)
  • Teen Read Week (third week of October annually)
  • Texas Teen Book Festival, St. Edward’s University, Austin (Sat., Oct. 8, 2018
  • Houston LibroFEST, October
  • Permian Basin Writers' Workshop (Midland, Oct. 13–14, 2018)
  • North Texas Book & Paper Show (24th annual, Fort Worth, Oct. 13–14, 2018)
  • Lubbock Book Festival (not held in 2018; will return in 2019)
  • Texas Book Festival (since 1995; Austin, Oct. 27–28, 2018)

 

November

  • Native American Heritage Month
  • National Novel Writing Month
  • University Press Week (November 12–17, 2018)
  • Shop Small: Small Business Saturday (November)
  • South Texas Book Festival (formerly McAllen Book Festival, Nov. 10, 2018)

 

December

  • World AIDS Day (Dec. 1 annually)
  • Humanities Texas Holiday Book Fair (Austin, early December, yearly)
  • Laredo Book Festival (Dec. 8, 2018)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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